Across the Pond
by Laughter's Tears
Summary: At the end of the school year, international exchange student Miko has to go back to Japan. Her continued membership in Team Prime will involve a bit more than a longer commute.
1. Homecoming: it's a cliche

I finally wrote a transformers fanfic! Yay!  
This spawned from the idea I have had in the back of my head that Miko, being an International Exchange Student, would have have to go back to Japan at some point in the near future. Those kinds of programs usually only last a year. But she's also become a part of the Autobot family. This is my take on how the gap between the two needs would be bridged.  
_I own nothing. All characters belong to their respective owners- the almighty Hasbro._

* * *

Miko wandered through Haneda International Airport, the language of her native land washing over her like a tidal wave. Despite her efforts, she had been unable to convince the exchange student program to lengthen her stay in Jasper. Thus, one week after the end of school (and that only thanks to a little creativity in the chain of information on her part) she had been shipped back to Tokyo. Away from America, away from Jasper, away from Jack and Raf and Mrs. Darby and Agent Fowler- away from the Autobots. Away from Bulkhead. Miko sniffed back her almost-tears for the umpteenth time and wiped her nose on the back of her hand.  
They wouldn't even let her groundbridge back home. How lame was that? She could see the logic though. Her parents expected to have to buy her a plane ticket. Why disappoint? The thirteen hour flight was still lame though.

At least it had meant one last road trip with Bulkhead. They'd had fun on their way to the international airport in Las Vegas, blasting music and taking off-road short cuts.

She tried not to think about the goodbye that she'd avoided saying.

Where was the train again? Argh! This place was way too huge!

Miko lugged her suitcases annoyedly through the terminals. Then her pocket started screaming at her. She bit her lip as she recognized the wailing and guitar riffs.

Bulkhead.

"Hey Bulk'." She tried to sound cheery. "What's up?"

"Hey Miko. What's taking you so long?" Bulkhead jibbed.

Miko held the phone away from her ear, confused. "Say what?" she deadpanned into it.

"I've been waiting in this parking garage for _hours_ and _hours_." Bulkhead moaned dramatically, trying to hold back a chuckle. Realization began to dawn upon Miko. Her eyes widened and she began frantically looking around for a sign pointing her in the direction of the parking garage.  
"Sorry I can't come down and get ya, but do you know how hard it is to find a spot for a 'bot my size in this country?" Bulkhead finished.

She could hear the grin in his voice. It matched the one on her face. She'd found directions and was now racing through the airport, leaving disgruntled, confused, and just plain irritated travelers in her wake.

It took her six minutes to race to the garage. She had to take the elevator up a few levels. It wouldn't move fast enough and she danced around impatiently, garnering odd looks and sideways glances.

Finally the doors opened on the correct level. She shot out of the metal box, pouring out past several other people trying to exit. Miko didn't even bother to try and apologize.  
She found him parked in the very back, away from prying eyes. Compared to most of the compact, economical and environmentally friendly cars in the garage, he still stuck out like a sore thumb.  
Just like her.

Miko ran up and unapologetically wrapped her arms as far around the big green SUV as she could manage, giving the hood of the car a hug and finally letting her lame-o tears squeeze past her eyelids. Two salty drops fell on the dusty paint in the silence before Miko jumped inside, throwing her luggage into the seat next to her.  
"Oh my GOSH! Bulkhead! I can't believe you're here! In Japan! You groundbridged here, right? Why didn't you tell me? THIS IS SO AWESOME!" She threw her hands up in the air.

Bulkhead chuckled, taking joy in the delight of his young charge.

"Didn't they tell you? I thought you knew! I'm not going to stop being your guardian just because you don't live in Jasper anymore, Miko." Bulkhead spoke as if it was obvious. A fact of life.  
Miko felt herself tearing up again. She was so glad she hadn't said goodbye.

And then a second thought occurred to her. "Can you drive me home? My parents will Freak!"

* * *

While she's not my favorite character (and I would like to see her actually retain a lesson learned once in a while) I do not dislike Miko. And I find the relationship between her and Bulkhead to be fascinating.


	2. Just A Tiny Favor

I was going to hold this chapter back until I had the next one finished. To heck with that!  
Here you go! :D

* * *

Wheeljack was almost surprised to hear the chime of the Jackhammer's communication systems, which he'd just managed to get operational again that morning. While he had yet to officially join Optimus Prime's team, there was quite a bit more communication going back and forth these days.

To be on the safe side, he'd beefed up the security on his sat. comm. linkup. From what he'd heard, Soundwave could hold a very efficient grudge.

Wheeljack sub-spaced his welder and reached up and over the console he had crawled under to slap the button that would open the comm. channel. The repairs to the Jackhammer were taking much longer than they should have. Earth just didn't have most of the parts he needed readily on hand so he'd had to make them himself.

"Wheeljack here." He greeted distractedly as he reconnected the wires that completed the circuit from the thrusters to their control panel.

"Jackie! How are the repairs going?" Wheeljack smiled and pulled himself out from under the console at the sound of Bulkhead's voice.

"You know me, Bulk. As good as I am with fixin' I'm much better at wreckin'." He replied.

Bulkhead laughed, "Ain't that the truth!"

"So, you callin' just to be friendly, or do I get to put my skills to use?" Wheeljack asked, eager at the possibility of letting out some of his frustration for his scrapped up ship.

"Not exactly." was Bulkhead's response.

* * *

So, yeah. Short chapter is short, but it's got Wheeljack! And he's doing science... sort of. More than he's done on the show anyways. Wheeljack needs more sciency things. And explosions. Definitely more explosions.


	3. The Babysitter's Club

Wow! This is coming faster than I thought it would! (Granted, these chapters aren't exactly essays, but still!)

This chapter takes place almost immediately after the previous one.

* * *

"No."

Wheeljack didn't take any time at all to think about his answer. He stared at his friend across the comm. link.

"Come on 'Jackie. You said it yourself that Miko's not that bad." Bulkhead begged.

"Yeah," Wheeljack allowed, "for you. I don't babysit humans."

"It's not babysitting." Bulkhead argued.

Wheeljack shot him a pointed look.

"… Alright, so maybe it is. Sort of. But that's not the point," Bulkhead forced himself to stay on topic, "Being Miko's guardian is the best thing that's happened to me since I came to Earth. But I can't just abandon my post to watch over her." The confliction was evident on his face.

Wheeljack vented deeply. Bulkhead was his friend, had been his friend for a long time. And Wreckers take care of their own… "Alright, alright. I'll give it a shot." he begrudgingly agreed.

Bulkhead whooped with laughter, nearly sending a burst of painful feedback over the comm. link.

"Thanks 'Jackie! I knew you wouldn't let me down! Oh, man, I have to call Miko and tell her the good news!" Bulkhead could be seen hurrying away from the Autobot communications center.

Wheeljack smiled wryly and turned to shut down the now abandoned link.

Well, at least Earth was never dull.

* * *

So. Wheeljack will be helping Bulkhead keep an eye on Miko.  
As I explained to a friend of mine regarding certain recent events on the show: "Bulkhead CAN'T die, because then Wheeljack would have to take his place as a reoccurring character on the team and as Miko's Autobot. And Wheeljack and Miko together would mean that the Earth is DOOMED!"  
So, yes, I've just doomed the Earth... sounds like this one's going to be fun! :D


	4. Accept No Substitutes

Yay! It's an update! :D

* * *

"No." Miko insisted.

Bulkhead sighed, "Miko, no matter how many times you say 'no', it's still happening. I thought you liked Wheeljack?"

"I thought you liked being my Guardian." Miko accused. Her hands immediately flew to her mouth as what she had just said dawned on her, "I'msorry!" she sputtered, her face screwed up in remorse.

Bulkhead transformed so that he could look her in the eyes. He was tired of playing this game, "I will never stop being your Guardian, Miko." He said, "But part of that means accepting that sometimes I can't be the one there to protect you and trusting someone else to do the job for me. I trust Wheeljack. Can you do the same? For me?"

Miko stood there for a moment, still holding her hands over her traitorous mouth. Then, slowly, she nodded her agreement.

Bulkhead grinned and sat down with a heavy thud. He was immensely relieved to have gotten that out of the way.

"So," he checked his internal chronometer to see how many hours they had before Mko had to take the space-bridge back home, "wanna go offroading?" he asked.

The smile on her face made his spark sing.

As they plowed through the desert, he forced himself to forget that it was only for a few hours. Because hearing Miko laugh and whoop and sing to their favorite songs was enough. After centuries of war and chaos, being able to find just a little slice of pure happiness- of family- was enough.

* * *

Well, this appears to be the magic chapter length. Weird. Oh well, whatever; the story wants what the story wants.


End file.
